Control mechanism for fluid distributing systems



July 7, 1959 w. J. OLSON sf AL ,2

CONTROL MECHANISM FOR FLUID DISTRIBUTING SYSTEMS Filed Oct." 14, 1955 -4 Q w 1 3O I6 '7 '9 ATTORNEY United States Patent CONTROL MECHANISM FOR FLUID DISTRIB- UTING SYSTEMS Application October 14, 1955, Serial No. 540,432 6 Claims. (Cl. 60-625) The present invention relates to machine elements and mechanisms, and, more particularly, to an improved mechanism adapted for automatically controlling the release and distribution of fluid medium under pressure.

The present invention contemplates such a control mechanism for use in connection with so called pressure operated systems, for example fire extinguishing systems, which do not rely on electrical wiring or pull cables for controlling their operation. Such systems essentially comprise a bank of fluid medium storage cylinders which includes one or more control cylinders for effecting release of the other cylinders of the bank, valves equipped with discharge heads for the cylinders, a pneumatic control head for the valves of the control cylinders, a conduit or manifold into which the contents of the cylinders are discharged having branches leading to the spaces or zones where the fluid medium is to be applied, stop valves for each branch which are opened to direct the fluid medium to the zone where it is required, and heat actuators for each zone wherein air is expanded due to a rapid rise in temperature and the pressure produced by such expanded air is utilized to operate the pneumatic control head.

One of the difficulties has been that the pressure produced by the expanded air in certain types of systems is insufficient to actuate the pneumatic control head if the tubing connecting the heat actuator and the pneumatic control head is of considerable length. Also, in certain cases where a number of zones or spaces are to be selectively protected by the system, the combined length of the tubing connecting each heat actuator to the pneumatic control head and the volume of the interconnected heat actuators are such that the pressure is dissipated therein. Another diificulty has been that no feasible completely automatic system of this type could be devised which also conditioned the stop valve for opening thereof without resorting to a manually controlled device.

'Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a control mechanism for systems of the foregoing type which overcomes the difliculties and disadvantages hereto encountered.

Another object is to provide such a control mechanism which is simple and practical in construction and arrangement and is reliable in operation.

Another object is to provide such control mechanism which is readily reset.

Another object is to provide such control mechanism wherein indicating means are arranged to serve as the means for resetting the mechanism.

A further object is to provide a combined pressure pulse transmitter and stop valve control mechanism which is constructed and arranged for installation with standard fire extinguishing system equipment.

Other and further objects of the invention will be obvious upon an understanding of the illustrative embodiment about to be described, or will be indicated in the appended claims, and various advantages not referred to herein will occur to one skilled in the art upon employment of the invention in practice.

2,893,208 Patented July 7, 1959 A preferred embodiment of the invention has been chosen for purposes of illustration and description, and is shown in the accompanying drawing, forming a part of the specification, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a view of a stop valve, a pressure pulse transmitter and stop valve control mechanism, and a pneumatic control head, partly in elevation and'partly in section.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of the control mechanism, illustrating the details thereof.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 33 on Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawing in detail and more particularly in Fig. 1 thereof, a control mechanism 10 is shown, which, in addition to transmitting a pressure pulse, serves as a control head for a stop valve 11, and in turn is actuated by a control head 12. The stop valve, the control mechanism, and the control head are shown coupled together as a unit.

The control head 12, for example, may be of the type illustrated and described in United States Patent 2,466,- 750 which includes a spring-energized-latched plunger 14 for actuating the control mechanism as described hereinafter.

The stop valve 11 includes a normally seated valve member 15, a piston chamber 16, a piston 17 in the chamber having a stem 19 for unseating the valve member 15, a passageway 20 extending from the upstream side of the valve member 15 to the piston chamber 16, and a normally closed pilot valve 21 in the passageway 20.

In accordance with the present invention, the control mechanism 10 comprises a body including a casing 22 and a cylinder 24 having one end adjacent the casing and having an outlet 25 adjacent its opposite end to which a tube 23 is connected for transmitting the pulse to a pneumatic control head such as shown in Patent 2,466,750, piston means 26 in the cylinder 24, a spring 27 for propelling the piston means towards the outlet 25 to produce and deliver a substantial pressure pulse, a rod 29 connected to the piston means 26 and extending through the casing, and a rod 30 extending through the casing crosswide with respect to the rod 29 and cooperating therewith to latch the same to retain the piston means 26 in spring loaded position as shown herein. One end of the rod 30 is adjacent the pilot valve 21, and the other end is adjacent the plunger 14 of the control head 12 and is adapted to be moved by the plunger to unlatch the rod 29 and to open the pilot valve 21.

As shown more particularly in Figs. 2 and 3, the rod 29 is formed with a longitudinal slot 31 in the portion thereof within the casing which slot has a recess 32 facing the stop valve and providing a transverse face 34. The rod 30 has a slender section 35 extending through the slot .31 to the plunger 14 of the control head 12, and has an enlarged section 36 for engaging the face 34 to provide means for latching the rod 29 as already mentioned. If desired, the rod 30 may have a cam section 37 for operating a switch 39 which may be used for operating an indicating device on a control panel to signify that a particular control mechanism 10 has been actuated or for operating an alarm either at the control panel .or at the space into which carbon dioxide is about to be discharged. A spring 40 normally urges the rod 30 in the direction whereby the section 36 is retained in the recess 32.

The free end of the rod 29 (Fig. 2) extends outwardly of the casing and has indicia 41 thereon. A sleeve 42 is attached to the casing to enclose the protruding end of the rod 29 and has a slot or opening 44 in the side thereof to enable the indicia on the rod to be observed and to thereby determine whether or not the pressure pulse transmitter is loaded or requires resetting.

In order to facilitate resetting of the pressure pulse transmitter, the rod 29 has screw threads 45- at its free end, and the sleeve 42 is removably attached to the casing 22 by cooperating screw threads, and isprovided with screw threads 46 at its normally free end, whereby the sleeve can be first unscrewed from the casing and then screwed onto the end of the rod 29 to serve as a handle for conveniently pulling the rod outwardly. Upon so retracting the rod 29, the spring 40 urges the rod 30 into its latching position, whereby the section 36 and the face 34 engage to reset the device. The sleeve 42 is then removed from the rod 29 and is attached to the casing again.

In operation, the plunger 14 ofthe control head 12 drives the rod 30 towards the right, as viewed in Fig. 1, thereby causing the pilot valve 21 to be opened and causing the rod 29 to be unlatched, whereby the spring energizes the piston means 26 to produce a pressure pulse which is transmitted through the tube 23 to actuate a pneumatic control head (not shown). The indicia 41 now indicate that the control mechanism has been operated, and resetting of the control mechanism can be accomplished in the manner already indicated.

The control mechanism is adapted to displace about 2.5 cubic inches of air to produce a pressure pulse which is effective to operate at least two pneumatic control heads even if this pulse is partially absorbed in a space of 60 cubic inches due to tubing and other devices associated with a practical fire extinguishing or fluid medium distribution system of the type previously referred to herein.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that the present invention provides a novel and useful control mechanism for various types of systems requiring both a pressure pulse and mechanical motion to condition the same for operation. v

As various changesmay be made in the'form, construction and arrangement'of the parts herein, without departing from the spirit and scope ofthe invention and without sacrificing any of its advantages, it is to be understood that all matter herein is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in any limiting sense.

We claim:

1. A control mechanism comprising a casing, a rod extending through said casing with its free end disposed outwardly of said casing and being mounted for sliding movement within said casing, spring means for effecting movement of said rod from one position to another, latch means associated with said casing cooperating with said rod to retain the same in a spring loaded position and being operable to release said rod, said rod being adapted to be moved manually from a released position into a spring loaded position, and a sleeve having one end removably attached to said casing and extending about the portion of said rod disposed outwardly of said casing, the other end of said sleeve and the outwardly disposed end of said rod having cooperating means for removably attaching said sleeve to said rod, whereby said sleeve serves as a handle for retracting said rod to its spring loaded position.

2. A control mechanism according to claim 1, wherein said outwardly disposed end of said rod has indicia thereon and said sleeve has an opening for viewing said indicia.

3. A control mechanism comprising a body including a casing and a cylinder having one end adjacent said casing and having an outlet adjacent its opposite end, pressure pulse producing piston means in said cylinder, a spring for propelling said piston means towards said outlet, a rod connected to said piston means for movement therewith and extending through said casing with its free end disposed outwardly of said casing, latch means in said casing cooperating with said rod to retain said piston means in spring loaded position, and a sleeve having one end removably attached to said casing and extending about the portion of saidrod disposed outwardly of said casing, the other end of said sleeve and the free end of said rod having cooperating means for removably attaching said sleeve to said rod, whereby said sleeve serves as a handle for retracting said rod to spring load said piston means.

4. A pressure pulse transmitter comprising a body including a casing and a cylinder having one end adjacent said casing and having an outlet adjacent its opposite end, pressure pulse producing piston means in said cylinder, a spring for propelling said piston means towards said outlet, a rod connected to said piston means for movement therewith and extending through said casing with its free end disposed outwardly of said casing, said rod having a longitudinal slot in the portion thereof within said casing formed with arecess' at one side providing a transverse face, and a latch element extending through said casing cross-wise with respect to said rod, said element having a section extendingthrough said slot and an enlarged section adjacent thereto for engaging said face to latch said rod in a position to maintain said piston means spring loaded.

5. A pressure pulse transmitter according to claim 4, wherein a spring urges said element in a direction to cause said enlarged section to engage said face. i

6. A pressure pulse transmitter according to claim 5, wherein said casing has an opening through which the section of said element extending through said slot is accessible to facilitate moving the same in opposition to said element urging spring to thereby cause said rod to be released.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

